Turkiye detains 162, blocks over 1,100 social media accounts over online posts linked to school shootings

ANKARA, April 16 — Turkish authorities have detained more than 160 people on charges ranging from spreading misleading information to praising two deadly school shootings this week online, the justice minister said today.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said 95 people had been taken into custody and 35 more suspects were being sought. Access to 1,104 social media accounts had been blocked, he added in a post on X.

Gurlek said investigators had identified accounts that targeted schools and suggested potential attacks. Sixty-seven users linked to such posts directed at 54 schools have been detained, he said. — AFP